Which Allergy Medicine Is Safe While Breastfeeding

Can I Breastfeed While Sick

Yes, you can breastfeed even if you’re sick. Breastfeeding while sick is still healthy for you and your baby. Continuing to breastfeed is also a good reminder to keep yourself fully hydrated. You need ample hydration to make breast milk, and it also helps relieve symptoms.

Things to consider with breastfeeding while sick include:

• Age of the infant
• Potential effects of the drug on breast milk production
• Amount of the drug that will enter the milk supply
• Proportion of the baby’s milk intake that is from breastfeeding

Premature babies and newborns are most at risk for being negatively affected by medicine in breast milk, but the risk goes down around 2 months of age.

Can I Continue To Breastfeed My Baby While Taking My Allergy Medicine

When spring arrives in many parts of the United States that means pollen allergies are in full swing. I am often asked if a mother who is breastfeeding can safely take allergy medicines. Pollen allergies are not only annoying but they can also be debilitating. The first step in allergy management is always avoidance of the substance causing the allergy. This is almost impossible with pollen allergies.

The question about taking medication when breastfeeding should always be given careful consideration, there isnt one answer that fits all breastfeeding mothers. In general, breastfeeding mothers are well advised to take as few medications as possible. A mother who is being treated for several medical conditions, as well as allergies, should carefully review the benefits and risks of taking allergy medicine with their physician and pharmacist. This is especially true if the infant is premature or very young.

The bottom line is that breastfeeding mothers who suffer with pollen allergies can safely be treated for those allergies and continue to breastfeed.

Alternative Cold Medicines And Remedies

In addition to common over-the-counter medications, some alternative remedies can help treat symptoms of common illnesses , such as:

• Congestion: A steamy shower or bath, saline-only nasal spray, and plenty of warm fluids can help ease congestion.
• Cough: Warm water with lemon and honey can ease the nursing parent’s cough. Honey is not recommended for children younger than 12 months of age, but if the nursing parent has honey in warm water or tea, it’s considered safe.
• Sore throat: Gargling with warm salt water is a safe way to ease a sore throat. Eating cold ice pops may also offer some relief for throat pain, as would warm soup.

You can always talk to your healthcare provider about other options for symptom relief.

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Common Indoor Allergens That Affect Expecting Mothers

At Dust Mite Solutions we share helpful information, resources, and personal experience for indoor allergens. We also share ways to minimize exposure to these allergens by improving your home environment.

Indoor allergens include:

• Pets
• Mold
• Even pollen can affect people indoors if it enters on clothes or through windows and doors

If youre pregnant, avoidance of your allergens will be key to reducing the need for medication. For pregnant women with moderate-severe allergies, it might be tough to stop taking antihistamines, even if your home is clean.

A few non-medicine steps you can take are:

• Investing in a HEPA air purifier for your bedroom
• Changing your furnace/HVAC filter and replacing with an allergy-quality option

These actions dont require medicine and could help you breathe easier in your home while reducing allergens. Ive found that furnace filters to be especially helpful and I turn on the vent once a day to help clean the air.

Additional actions to take may include:

• Sealing the windows and doors
• Hiring a cleaner to dust your house clean while pregnant
• Checking for and removing mold growth in the bathroom
• Keeping pets outside

Can I Breastfeed If I Have Hives

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Loratadine Use While Breastfeeding

Drugs containing Loratadine: Claritin, Claritin-D, Alavert, Claritin-D 24 Hour, Claritin 24 Hour Allergy, Allergy Relief Tablets, Claritin Reditabs, Loratadine-D 24 Hour, Children’s Claritin Allergy, AllerClear D-24 Hour, Show all 31 »Allergy Relief 24 Hour, Help I Have Allergies, Wal-itin, Loratadine-D 12 Hour, Claritin-D 12 Hour, Loratadine Reditab, Alavert D-12 Hour Allergy and Sinus, Children’s Allergy Relief 24 Hour, Vicks QlearQuil All Day & All Night 24 Hour Allergy Relief, ohm Allergy Relief, Clear-Atadine, Claritin Hives Relief, Dimetapp Children’s ND Non-Drowsy Allergy, Clear-Atadine Children’s, Bactimicina Allergy, Tavist ND, Clear-Atadine-D, Allergy Relief D12, Leader Allergy Relief D-24, Allergy & Congestion Relief, Allergy Relief D 24 Hour

Medically reviewed by Drugs.com. Last updated on Jun 25, 2021.

Natural Remedy For Allergies While Nursing

While you can take specific allergy medicine while nursing, you can always make use of natural remedies to relieve allergy symptoms. For instance:

• Take plenty of rest when you have allergies.
• Drink plenty of liquids to stay hydrated all the time.
• Take hot baths, inhale steam, and install a humidifier in your room to ease breathing.
• Eat food rich in Vitamin C. You can take Vitamin C supplements as well.
• Try Echinacea supplement to boost your immune system and help fighting off allergy symptoms.
• Try taking cooked, raw garlic or garlic supplements for relief.
• Alternatively, you can give homeopathic remedies a shot, which are generally safe for nursing mothers. Similarly, osteopathic manipulative treatment is quite an effective form of osteopathic manipulation that helps boost your immune system and drains fluids from the neck and head to prevent infections. This also proves beneficial against chronic respiratory and ear infections.

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Can You Take Allergy Medicine While Breastfeeding

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Besides, which allergy medicine is safe while breastfeeding?

The ingredients of Claritin, Claritin-D, Clarinex, Allegra, Allegra-D, and Zyrtec are generally regarded to be compatible with breastfeeding . Loratadine has been studied and the amount of loratadine that passes into breastmilk is extremely low.

Additionally, does allergy medicine affect breast milk supply? Romm does have a word of warning when it comes to your milk supply: Any allergy or cold medication that contains pseudoephedrine is a big no-no for a breastfeeding mom. “Studies have shown that even one dose can decrease milk supply substantially,” Dr.

Subsequently, one may also ask, does allergy medicine dry up breast milk?

Claritin is one allergy medicine that has been studied during breastfeeding, and it’s shown to pass only marginally into breastmilk. Do note, however, that Claritin-D contains pseudoephedrine and can reduce milk supply. There are also decongestants that can be used during breastfeeding as well.

Can you take antihistamines while breastfeeding?

All antihistamines are considered safe to use during breastfeeding, as minimal amounts are excreted in the breast milk and would not cause any adverse effects on a breastfeeding infant.

Are Allergy Medications Safe For Pregnancy And Breastfeeding

The medicine you put in or on your body could impact your baby early on in the pregnancy and continue during breastfeeding. For those planning to get pregnant, speak with your doctor beforehand so you have ample time to stop the medication.

According to WebMD, many over the counter antihistamines and nasal sprays should be okay to take during pregnancy. These include Zyrtec, Benadryl, Allegra, Claritin, Nasalcrom, and Rhinocort .

Sprays, eye drops, or ear drops might be better during pregnancy because they tend to stay in one area of your body, unlike pills that are ingested and spread throughout.

WebMD states that the trimester of your pregnancy also matters, so dont think that if a particular medicine is okay in the 3rd trimester it must be okay in the 1st. Also, note that using decongestants could make birth defects more likely.

Remember: The things that go in your body might make themselves available to your baby, and because your baby is much smaller than you, it might affect them in a more significant way.

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Allergy Medication For Pregnancy And Breastfeeding

When it comes to allergy medication, were often curious about their long-term effects. In general, medicines can be applied to the skin, applied as drops, injected, inhaled, and ingested , and we use them because medicines assist our body in overcoming illness.

When we use medicine, we usually do so by accepting potential side-effects, however, the situation is much different when pregnant or breastfeeding. Pregnant mothers, as well as breastfeeding mothers, are eating for two. Does that mean they are taking medicine for two as well?

As someone whos had allergies most of their life, I can understand the need for those antihistamines, nasal sprays, and cortisone creams. For people who are pregnant, allergy symptoms can be fickle. The symptoms might disappear, stay the same, or they might increase.

If you feel you need antihistamines, its wise to ask your doctor if allergy medication is safe for pregnancy and/or breastfeeding.

In this article, well review some of the research regarding allergy medication, pregnancy, and breastfeeding and put you on the right track to know whats best for you and your baby.

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Allergy medicine while breastfeeding???

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Allergy Medicine While Nursing

It is always difficult to deal with allergies, but things can be even more difficult when you are pregnant. Pregnancy can actually make certain illnesses and conditions become worse, and allergies are one of them. While there are medications available, you cannot use most of them while pregnant or breastfeeding. Many women ask if they take an allergy medicine while nursing. Keep reading to know the detailed answer.

Effects In Breastfed Infants

In one telephone follow-up study, mothers reported irritability and colicky symptoms 10% of infants exposed to various antihistamines and drowsiness was reported in 1.6% of infants. None of the reactions required medical attention.

A woman who was nursing her newborn infant was treated for pemphigus with oral prednisolone 25 mg daily, with the dosage increased over 2 weeks to 60 mg daily. She was also taking cetirizine 10 mg daily and topical betamethasone 0.1% twice daily to the lesions. Because of a poor response, the betamethasone was changed to clobetasol propionate ointment 0.05%. She continued breastfeeding throughout treatment and her infant was developing normally at 8 weeks of age and beyond.

A woman with narcolepsy took sodium oxybate 4 grams each night at 10 pm and 2 am as well as fluoxetine 20 mg and cetirizine 5 mg daily throughout pregnancy and postpartum. She breastfed her infant except for 4 hours after the 10 pm oxybate dose and 4 hours after the 2 am dose. She either pumped breastmilk or breastfed her infant just before each dose of oxybate. The infant was exclusively breastfed or breastmilk fed for 6 months when solids were introduced. The infant was evaluated at 2, 4 and 6 months with the Ages and Stages Questionnaires, which were withing the normal range as were the infant’s growth and pediatrician’s clinical impressions regarding the infant’s growth and development.

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Medicine Pregnancy And Breastfeeding

According to the Food and Drug Administration, there are approximately 6 million pregnancies in the United States each year and more than half of pregnant report taking at least one medication.

The reasons can be as simple as allergies or as complex as diabetes but its important to know that many people are in the same situation as you.

In consultation with your doctor, youll learn that some medicines are okay to take while pregnant or breastfeeding and others should be avoided. When in doubt, refrain from taking the medicine until you speak with your doctor.

You can also read the label of your medicine, look up the name of the specific drug/ingredients online, and report any possible problems to your doctor.

Will Taking Allergy Medicine Dry Up My Milk

There is a significant concern amongst parents regarding the risk of allergy medication drying up milk. The fears are not unfounded as some antihistamines can, and do, dry up milk.

In fact, some parents use specific allergy medication to speed up the weaning process.

Luckily rarely will small, infrequent doses of allergy medications negatively impact your milk supply. And the medications that post the most significant risk to milk production will be mentioned below.

But first…

Various types of medications are used to treat allergies, and there numerous ways to ingest them. The mechanisms by which each allergy medicine works will depend on the kind of medication and the method of ingestion.

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Effects Of Benadryl When Breastfeeding

Benadryl doesnt affect the amount of milk your body makes. However, it may decrease the flow of milk from your breasts.

Benadryl can also be passed to your child through your breast milk when you take the pills or use it on your skin. That means Benadryl may cause side effects in children who breastfeed from mothers who take it. Newborns and infants are especially sensitive to antihistamines. The side effects of Benadryl in newborns and infants include:

• drowsiness
• excitability
• irritability

If youre breastfeeding and considering taking an antihistamine, talk with your doctor first. Your doctor will help you sort out the potential risks to your child. They may suggest taking the dose before bedtime, after youve finished breastfeeding for the day. Your doctor also may recommend an alternative to Benadryl.

Other Common Medications Used In Breastfeeding

In general, data is limited for the effects of these drugs on a breastfeeding infant. Follow the links to learn more about use of these drugs in breastfeeding and always check with your doctor. Added monitoring or laboratory testing may be required for the infant. Prescribing is made on a case-by-case basis by your healthcare provider.

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If Breastfeeding What Can You Do And What Can You Use

There are many natural remedies that you can use that will help to alleviate the symptoms of an allergy attack. Fortunately there are quite a few over the counter medications for allergies that are completely safe for breastfeeding mums to take so that your entire spring season isnt missed. These are perfectly safe for baby as well.

Looking For Information On Other Meds

The MommyMeds appprovides up-to-date knowledge on various medications for the safe use of breastfeeding mothers. Our diverse team of specialists have come together to develop an easy to use resource accessible to mothers regarding drug related lactation risk. Support our research on breastfeeding medication by downloading the app today.

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Check With A Healthcare Provider

Always check with a healthcare provider to be sure if Claritin or any medication is OK for you and your babys specific health situation. Deciding whether Claritin is safe while breastfeeding depends on a person’s past medical history, notes Silverman. Before starting any medication while breastfeeding, please discuss with your doctor.

How Can Benadryl Affect Your Baby

Most allergy medicines arent believed to affect a nursing baby, but Benadryl would not be the first option recommended to a breastfeeding mother. The active ingredient, diphenhydramine, can affect a baby. Some of the possible side effects of Benadryl on nursing babies include drowsiness, excitability, and irritability. The younger the baby, the more likely the side effects are to occur. Beyond Benadryl, there are very few allergy medicines that are not advised for use by breastfeeding mothers. However, there is one other ingredient often used in allergy medicines you may want to avoid if youre nursing: pseudoephedrine. Pseudoephedrine isnt considered to be dangerous for the baby, but it can reduce milk production. If a mother already has issues with milk production or if shes in the later stages of lactation with an older child, she should avoid any allergy medicine that contains pseudoephedrine. Some research shows the use of pseudoephedrine can decrease milk supply by as much as 24 percent.

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The Risks Of Allergy Medicine While Nursing

The risks associated with allergy medicine come from the fact that there are not many scientific studies on pregnant and nursing people. This is because of the risk to the baby. Because of this, there often isnt enough information to say whether a drug is completely safe and would not have any side effects.

Side Effects Of Fexofenadine While Breastfeeding:

Allegra breastfeeding has certain side effects. It is not unusual as most drug use carries the risk of side effects. These side effects may be mild to severe.

If you plan to use fexofenadine while breastfeeding, observe any symptoms, you experience after taking a dose. It is also a good practice to discuss any potential side effects with your doctor before you plan to take the drug while breastfeeding. Doing so can help you make an informed decision about your health .

Some common side effects of using fexofenadine while breastfeeding include:

• Dizziness

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Is It Safe To Take Afrin Breastfeeding Your Baby

Generally, most allergy medications are okay to take while breastfeeding your baby. However, you should use caution when choosing decongestants. Several decongestants use the active ingredient pseudoephedrine. This ingredient can not only affect your baby, but it is also known to cause a dramatic decrease in milk supply and production. Afrin is a nasal spray form of a decongestant. According to MilkWorks, nasal sprays like Afrin absorb poorly through the nasal passages. Nasal sprays do not absorb into your bloodstream the same way decongestants in pill form do, making Afrin a safe medication to take while breastfeeding.